This flower is one of the best-kept secrets of early spring

Hepaticas are not very widely grown in Britain, but they are one of the best-kept secrets of early spring. Comparable to auriculas in size and nature – and just as collectable – their bright-faced little flowers appear in late February or early March, before much else has begun to appear in the garden. For John Massey, owner of Ashwood Nurseries in Kingswinford, hepaticas have been a lifelong obsession. He has travelled all over the world to see them in the wild and has built up one of the most extensive collections in the UK. ‘There are at least nine distinct hepatica species in Japan, China, Korea, North America and Europe. I’ve seen every one of them in the wild, except for Hepatica henryi,’ says John. He adds, somewhat ruefully, that he was due to search for the elusive H. henryi in China when Covid-19 hit, so he never made the trip.

The Japanese hepaticas – forms of H. japonica – have a cult following in their homeland, where ever more exotic forms are bred to be displayed and shown in special clay pots. As an auricula lover, these are the hepaticas that appeal to me most, but these forms are not hardy enough to grow outdoors in the UK. They must be grown in pots and kept in a cool greenhouse, where their delicate flowers can be appreciated at eye level. There are endless variations in form, some with green central bosses, others with fully double, frilly blooms, and the colours range from greeny white to deepest purple, with many other colours in between. In Japan, they are called yukiwariso, which means ‘the plant that breaks through the snow’. The Japanese stoneware pots have rims around the bottom to raise them up from the ground. This improves drainage, which is the key to the successful cultivation of all species of hepaticas.

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If you are interested in plants that are hardy enough to grow outside in Britain, you should look for forms of the European species H. nobilis, a tiny plant that can vary in height from 5-15cm, and the easiest species to grow outside in the UK according to John. The species itself is variable, with delicate single flowers in shades of blue, pink and white. The buds push up through the ground in earliest spring, followed by rounded evergreen leaves that can be either marbled or veined. The nobilis forms can be bought as mixed collections or in single colour strains, with named cultivars such as the vividly coloured ‘Bibo’ (blue) and clear pink ‘Odette’ also available.

John particularly recommends H. nobilis Multipetala Group – seedlings from German breeder Andreas Handel’s H. nobilis ‘Tausendschon’ (translating as ‘beauty a thousand times’), which displays beautiful, lavender-blue flowers. ‘It has lots of extra sepals and its flowers are long lasting,’ says John. He also highlights H. nobilis ‘Pygmy Group’, bred by the late Kath Dryden. These are tiny in stature at only 5cm in height and come in blue or white strains with neat whorls of evergreen foliage.

From Romania comes Hepatica transsilvanica, a slightly taller species than H. nobilis. Equally hardy in British gardens, it has mainly blue flowers in many different shades, but can also be found in pink and white forms. Its cultivar ‘Elison Spence’ is a beauty, with blue flowers that have a frill of curled petaloid stamens in the centre. H. acutiloba is another reasonably hardy species, from North America, although it is prudent to plant it in a more sheltered area. Its flowers are usually white with green centres, but can be shaded slightly pink or lavender. ‘H. acutiloba is beautifully fragranced,’ says John. ‘It also has a very upright form, with all the flowers facing upwards.’ Hybrids between the species, whether natural or man-made, are also common, because they all cross-fertilise readily. ‘They are a breeder’s dream,’ says John.

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‘If I had to choose just one hepatica, it would be H. ‘Millstream Merlin’, which is thought to be a cross between H. transsilvanica and H. acutiloba. It was a chance seedling discovered in America. It always amazes me that some of the very best cultivars are unplanned, serendipitous crosses. It’s quite humbling to know that nature selects the best forms.’

Hepaticas are mountainous woodland plants and many are to be found growing on 45-degree slopes that have excellent natural drainage. ‘Creating sufficient drainage for them is the most important thing,’ explains John. ‘However, when flowering, they need a certain amount of moisture, too, so the ideal soil is light, fluffy and rich in leaf mould. They prefer humid-to-dry conditions.’ The key is to plant them under deciduous trees, where they will bask in sun as they flower, but then have the shade they need as the trees start to leaf up in later spring. In general, H. transsilvanica is more tolerant of drier conditions than H. nobilis. If you are growing H. japonica in pots, John recommends using a light, open potting mix – two parts bark or leaf mould, two parts John Innes No.2, one part perlite and one part pumice. Hepaticas can also be grown from seed. ‘Sow the seed when it is fresh in April or May,’ he says. ‘Use a well-drained seed compost mix and cover with a 1cm layer of potting grit. Leave them outside in a shady spot, as they need a prolonged period of cold to germinate, and the seedlings should emerge the following spring.’

John Massey’s book, ‘My World of Hepaticas’ (Orphans Press), is out now. Hepatica plants are available to buy by mail order from ashwoodnurseries.com